Arghh! - Wells Fargo - will have Citibank MasterCard soon - IT'S HERE!

TigerhawkT3

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I just got an internship, so I'll soon be dealing with more money than I customarily have. My dad was getting tired of keeping track of my online purchases with his credit card.

So, since he banks with Wells Fargo, he suggested that I go with WF for my Visa as well.

I applied for a student credit card about a month ago, and I still don't have one. WF kept on rejecting my application because of a lack of documentation proving that I'm a student. I've sent in a transcript that shows I was enrolled through Spring quarter and I've sent my schedule for Fall. When I contact WF, they tell me that they need more proof. They wanted a student ID card with my current enrollment status and my current class schedule. They didn't seem too concerned with the fact that student ID cards only display the date they were issued (they only prove that you have been enrolled at a school at some point in the past) and that it's SUMMER. I thought the notion of summer vacation would be more well-known.

This is pretty funny, because I've been getting offers for pre-approved credit cards for months already. When I mentioned this tidbit along with my inclination to accept an offer for a Citibank Visa (pre-approved with no work on my part) to a customer "service" representative, he didn't seem to mind. He asked me if there was anything else he could "help" me with, and instead of asking what his definition of "help" was, I told him "no, thanks" and disconnected.

It looks like I'll have a Citibank Visa pretty soon.
 
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Brighteyez

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Re: JEERS to Wells Fargo

Many of the large banks (including both that you mention) use off-shore labor for many of their more mundane tasks. As such, you're more likely to encounter robotic responses with little to no diviation from established guidelines and certainly no evidence of exercising discretion.

Probably best to just photocopy your student ID card and not argue with them. Also read the terms of offers that you receive in the mail. If there are (and most likely there will be) portions that you do not understand, you might want to ask your dad or someone else with a bit more life experience to help you go through their terms (though bear in mind there are many people with post-graduate degrees who can't figure out how to read one of those.) Unsolicited credit card offers that you receive in the mail are seldom a good deal, especially those that are offered to people who are not necessarily in the "good risk" category.

TigerhawkT3 said:
I just got an internship, so I'll soon be dealing with more money than I customarily have. My dad was getting tired of keeping track of my online purchases with his credit card.

So, since he banks with Wells Fargo, he suggested that I go with WF for my Visa as well.

I applied for a student credit card about a month ago, and I still don't have one. WF kept on rejecting my application because of a lack of documentation proving that I'm a student. I've sent in a transcript that shows I was enrolled through Spring quarter and I've sent my schedule for Fall. When I contact WF, they tell me that they need more proof. They wanted a student ID card with my current enrollment status and my current class schedule. They didn't seem too concerned with the fact that student ID cards only display the date they were issued (they only prove that you have been enrolled at a school at some point in the past) and that it's SUMMER. I thought the notion of summer vacation would be more well-known.

This is pretty funny, because I've been getting offers for pre-approved credit cards for months already. When I mentioned this tidbit along with my inclination to accept an offer for a Citibank Visa (pre-approved with no work on my part to a customer "service" representative, he didn't seem to mind. He asked me if there was anything else he could "help" me with, and instead of asking what his definition of "help" was, I told him "no, thanks" and disconnected.

It looks like I'll have a Citibank Visa pretty soon.
 

Empath

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Re: JEERS to Wells Fargo

Tiger, the purpose we envisioned for Cheers'N'Jeers was as a reference that could be used by the membership to evaluate satisfaction or disatisfaction with flashlight related topics (basically). While we may stretch that a bit at times, it seems that using the forum to express the disatisfaction and frustration of dealing with the documentation and verification requirements of credit card applications is stretching it so far that the rules defining it's use can't even be recognized as applicable.

Rather than continue with additional rants regarding red tape frustration, we'll close the thread.

Edit: It looks like a few showed interest by the time I typed my closing comments; so, with the interest showed, we'll re-title it and move it to the Cafe.
 
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TigerhawkT3

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Re: Arghh! - Wells Fargo

Sorry, Empath.

Rest assured that I thought long and hard about where to post this thread (I started a similar Cheer in CNJ, as well...). I read the whole way through the CNJ rules thread, and I even went so far as to draft a post posing my question. However, I decided to first look through the plentiful pre-existing CNJ threads for guidance, and when I found one praising FireFox, I deduced that my threads were appropriate for the CNJ sub-forum.

Don't worry; it won't happen again - forewarned (about where to post non-flashlight-related CNJs) is forearmed (against creating more work for our wonderful mods)!
 

BIGIRON

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Re: Arghh! - Wells Fargo

True story -- couple of months ago called WF customer service number with a question about my Mom's account. They charged $2 for talking to a "Telephone Banker" instead of making an online inquiry. Like my 83 year old mom was going to do that.
 

blahblahblah

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Re: Arghh! - Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo sucks!

Why?
- Excessive fees - I think WAMU commercials target Wells Fargo and B of A
- Poor rates - Check their CD rates compared with WAMU or UBOC
- Horrible customer service - telephone is worse than in the branch
- Charged me for bill pay when I never signed up for it, never used it, and it came free with my type of account. To their credit, they did reimburse me.

I still have 1 personal (paypal linked), 1 business, and 2 non-profit accounts there, but my primary banking is done with Union Bank of California. UBOC has EXCELLENT customer service!!!

My liquid CDs are at WAMU, the rate is competitive and it is liquid. Customer service lacks here, but at least the fees are kept to a minimum.
 

verbie

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Re: Arghh! - Wells Fargo

geez, i didnt know WF customer service is that bad. i guess since i rarely call customer service anymore, i dont know how things are now.

as for obtaining a credit card for students, frankly i would just go w/ chase or citibank. those are the typical applications that they stick into school books when you purchase them. i remember having no hassle whatsoever when i got my first credit card in college. all i had to do was fill out the form and send it off, pre-postage too.

well, tiger, good luck w/ obtaining a credit card. :)
 

jch79

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Re: Arghh! - Wells Fargo

Wow... well - a big CHEERS to Wells Fargo from me!

I've had them since I was in college, when my local bank was bought out by them. They've always been GREAT! Very good customer service and everything is electronic... maybe I'm a lucky one, but they've always been really really quick and helpful.

Example: before I left for Mexico a couple of months ago, I realized that I totally forgot the pin number to my emergency credit card (also from WF), which I use in case I lose my debit card, or run out of funds... well there are security reasons why they can't tell you it over the phone, or even email it to you, but the person on the phone was so helpful in pointing me to a new feature on their website that lets you reset your pin number and then change it to something that you know.

Anyways, as far as big banks are concerned, I'm all for Wells Fargo - so much so that I live in Chicago, where they don't even have a branch, but I'd never change to Citibank, US Bank, or any other big banks.
 

Brighteyez

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Re: Arghh! - Wells Fargo

Don't you think that you should give them a call after this long? Generally you should receive your checks within about a week of placing the order. Anything longer than that and you should start checking to see if one of your neighbors is using your checks. And they usually rush the new account checks. so you probably should have started checking with the bank about two months ago.

The_LED_Museum said:
I opened a checking account at Wells Fargo on 06-08-06, and I'm *STILL* waiting to receive my checks. :sick2:
 

Brighteyez

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Re: Arghh! - Wells Fargo

What do you do? Drive to Indiana to use the ATM? :D

jch79 said:
Anyways, as far as big banks are concerned, I'm all for Wells Fargo - so much so that I live in Chicago, where they don't even have a branch, but I'd never change to Citibank, US Bank, or any other big banks.
 

The_LED_Museum

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Re: Arghh! - Wells Fargo

Brighteyez said:
Don't you think that you should give them a call after this long? Generally you should receive your checks within about a week of placing the order. Anything longer than that and you should start checking to see if one of your neighbors is using your checks. And they usually rush the new account checks. so you probably should have started checking with the bank about two months ago.
I went to the branch I opened my accout at approximately two weeks ago, and told them. They said the checks & passbook were never mailed, and would check to see why.
I check my account online every several days, and have yet to see any unauthorised account activity.
 

CroMAGnet

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Re: Arghh! - Wells Fargo

We have a lot of stories with WF incompetence. Just one of them; they acidentally transfered over $136,000,000 into our account one time!!!

too bad they took it all back :)
 

Brighteyez

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Re: Arghh! - Wells Fargo

That probably explains how you can afford to live in Los Gatos :)
Sure they got it all back? ;)

CroMAGnet said:
We have a lot of stories with WF incompetence. Just one of them; they acidentally transfered over $136,000,000 into our account one time!!!

too bad they took it all back :)
 

tvodrd

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Re: Arghh! - Wells Fargo

TigerhawkT3,

You said "Citibank." Here's what Citibank did to me. I closed one of my late parent's accounts after opening two trust accounts. My mother had passed and my father was hospitalized and unable to manage his affairs. Two months later they sent a collection agency after me for unpaid "service charges" on the account as they had not truely closed it and there was a few cents remaining in the account. (I still had ~$45K on deposit in two other accounts!) After paying-off the collection agency, I went "proactive," and set-up trust accounts elsewhere. I then closed the Citibank accounts with a verbal to the teller that if it happened again, we would be in court!

Citibank has subsequently sent now 3 seperate collection agencies after me for someone else's CC debt with the wrong zipcode and soc. security #! I tell them to go to hell! (I have no debt!)

Year before last, I was down to my last house mortgage payment with ChaseManhatten! Got a letter in the mail that they were starting forclosure proceedings on my home! I had been set-up for automatic payment out of my checking account. When the last payment was less than the regular monthly, it was not billed/transferred, and they started forclosure proceedings!

That's two financial institutions I will never deal with again!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Citi still has ~$10K of my late father's estate that I will probably have to take them to court for! That's ok, I don't need the money!

This thread is a flimsy excuse for my rant re incompetant financial institutions, but I couldn't help myself! :(

Larry
 

jch79

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Re: Arghh! - Wells Fargo

Brighteyez said:
What do you do? Drive to Indiana to use the ATM? :D
The "buy a pack of gum with my debit card and get $40 back at the register" trick... works every time! No atm fees that way... Thank you Walgreens and Jewel-Osco!
john
 

TigerhawkT3

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Re: Arghh! - Wells Fargo

I just got approved for a Citibank Diamond Preferred etc. etc. MasterCard. It should be here by this Saturday, and then I can start spending my cash. Costly lights, here I come!
 

TigerhawkT3

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Re: Arghh! - Wells Fargo - will have Citibank MasterCard soon

I got my MasterCard about five minutes ago, and I'm still cackling.

I'm literally cackling, like you see the villains do in those old movies. If anyone saw me, they would be frightened.

It's actually kind of fun to cackle. This was my first time REALLY cackling, as a forced cackle doesn't feel anything like the real thing.

I'm going to go buy a Gladius now.
...And then some RCR123As.
...And then a Pierce.
...And then a sword.

Sweet mother of Satan, I can FEEL the power. It's absolutely intoxicating.

P.S.: I might edit this post later, when I regain my sanity. Or, I might preserve it for entertainment value.
 
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